


Condition of Complete Simplicity

by jesterlady



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Humor, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-02
Updated: 2011-10-02
Packaged: 2017-10-24 06:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/260145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jesterlady/pseuds/jesterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during The Wish, it's an extended scene tween Cordy and Jonathan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Condition of Complete Simplicity

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS. Some of the lines are from the show. The title is from T.S. Eliot.

“Then I have just the stallion. He's so you.” Harmony led Cordelia to the stairs and motioned to Jonathan, who was innocently sipping his Big Gulp, unaware of any plots being formed. “I'm pretty sure he won't cheat on you. At least not for a while. Plus, he's got a killer moped.”

Harmony laughed, causing Jonathan to look up, and walked off, leading the group Cordelia formerly ruled with an iron fist. Anya gave her a sympathetic smile and left as well.

Jonathan wanted to say something nice, but what could he say? So he kept on slurping his drink that was bigger than he was. Cordelia threw up her hands in the air and sank down next to him on the steps.

“Do I have ‘mock me’ painted on my forehead? Is this karma? This is undeserved karma.” Cordelia pointed her accusations at the sky.  
“Someone messed up the karma!”

Jonathan wondered if he could edge away without incurring any violence.

“Uh huh.”

“I mean, I know I’ve done things in the past. Maybe I’ve been a little bit mean to people like you. But it’s almost like you ask for it, dressing like that. And this time, I totally didn’t deserve it. Xander’s the one who went all morally bankrupt and I’m the one stuck with the overdraft slip. Buffy and her freaks all sidle up to him like he didn’t do anything. My friends just want the chance to laugh up the mistake I made and for making them accept it. Resentful mutiny, that’s what it is. To top it all off, I’m having reactions to my medication and I just…”

Cordelia broke off crying and Jonathan’s eyebrows almost shot over his head. Cordelia crying was a first for Sunnydale High. He was pretty sure it was a record for something. He dared to reach out his hand and awkwardly pat her back.

“I’m sorry?” he offered, unsure of what to say. “You deserve better.”

“Yeah I do!” Cordelia said suddenly, causing him to jump back. “I deserve better than losers and freaks and losing my status. I own this school and I don’t care what any of them say. If they want their parents to keep their jobs, then they can just keep their mouths shut. I’ll hang with who I want and if I make a mistake, then it’s nothing my credit card can’t fix.”

“Sounds…good.” Cordelia turned to him with a huge smile on her face. Her heart was obviously still broken, but not her pride. She looked like she could and would get through this.

“Thanks. I totally appreciate what you said. It was inspiring.” She hugged him somewhat gingerly, as if not quite sure where he’d been. “I’m here for you whenever you need it.” She started to walk away, strong and sure, then turned away and pointed her finger at his nose. He stared down at it and then blinked from the pain of being cross eyed. “But if you ever tell anyone about this conversation, I will kill you.”

She smiled and walked away. Jonathan sat there for a few minutes, unsure of what had just happened.

“But, but I didn’t even do anything.”


End file.
